In yet another case involving “digital arrest”, fraudsters posing as police officers allegedly kept two women in Bengaluru on a video call for nine hours last week and forced them to strip naked for an “online medical examination” to identify birthmarks and moles. The women were also allegedly threatened with the nude images and videos.
The matter came to light after a 46-year-old woman, who resides in Bengaluru, approached the East CEN police station on Saturday and filed a complaint. A case was subsequently registered under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the police, the woman and her childhood friend, who works as an instructor in Thailand and was visiting the city, were targeted on July 17. As per the complaint, their ordeal began at 11 am when the instructor received a call from a person who claimed to be a police officer at Mumbai’s Colaba police station.
The “officer” accused the instructor of involvement in money laundering connected to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, human trafficking, and even a murder case, the complaint said. When the woman denied the allegations, the fraudster allegedly shared specific details of her debit card, immediately establishing credibility and triggering fear in her.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the suspects provided official-looking documents, including forged arrest warrants and fake Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) identification cards. These materials were so convincing that both women believed they were genuinely dealing with law enforcement officials.
The fraudsters then made video calls, claiming to connect the women directly with CBI officers, the complaint said. Under the guise of a “digital arrest”, they directed the women to remain under house surveillance for 24 hours via a continuous WhatsApp video call. The fraudsters said that Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations demanded the verification of the alleged transactions from their bank accounts.
They instructed the victims to transfer money to a specified account, promising a full refund after verification if the funds were not determined to be “black money”. Trusting this explanation, the instructor transferred Rs 58,447 to the criminals. The scammers further impersonated officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and Delhi Police to add layers of supposed legitimacy, the complaint added.
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After securing the money, the fraudsters allegedly demanded “medical “clearance through an online examination. They claimed this was necessary to identify any “bullet marks, moles, or tattoos” on the victims’ bodies. Believing they were complying with official procedures, both women stripped naked and followed the criminals’ instructions.
Unknown to the women, the fraudsters were recording their naked videos and capturing images. Investigators said the accused also engaged in body shaming during the process.
The police said that around 8 pm, the instructor – overwhelmed by the pressure and harassment – reached out to a friend via WhatsApp call. The friend immediately advised them to disconnect all calls and refuse further money transfers.
When the accused failed to re-establish contact with the women, they allegedly sent the naked photos and videos to both women’s phones, threatening to make them public. However, the women deleted the photos and videos before approaching the police.